Michigan City, IN vs Wausau, WI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Wausau, WI is 1.1% more expensive than Michigan City, IN (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Michigan City works out to about $75,800 in Wausau, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 4.4% more in Wausau. Goods are 0.6% lower and other services 0.3% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $960 a month in Wausau and $1,202 in Michigan City, $2,904 a year less in Wausau (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $271,000 in Wausau and $259,000 in Michigan City.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Wausau was 3.3% more expensive than Michigan City.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 4.4% higher in Wausau than in Michigan City
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.7 | 92.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 68.5 | 71.5 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 90.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.4 |
| Category | Michigan City | Wausau | Wausau vs Michigan City |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.7 | 92.7 | +1.1% |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.8 | −0.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 68.5 | 71.5 | +4.4% |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 90.0 | +4.1% |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.4 | +0.3% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,202 | $960 | −20.1% |
| Typical home value | $259,000 | $271,000 | +4.8% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Michigan City | $75,000 | $75,800 | +1.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Michigan City and Wausau has narrowed since 2008: 11.0 points then, 1.0 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 83.7 | 94.8 |
| 2009 | 87.5 | 95.0 |
| 2010 | 88.9 | 94.6 |
| 2011 | 89.0 | 93.3 |
| 2012 | 88.9 | 94.1 |
| 2013 | 89.7 | 94.3 |
| 2014 | 90.3 | 90.7 |
| 2015 | 87.6 | 92.5 |
| 2016 | 87.1 | 92.0 |
| 2017 | 84.6 | 91.1 |
| 2018 | 91.7 | 92.2 |
| 2019 | 90.0 | 93.0 |
| 2020 | 91.9 | 90.2 |
| 2021 | 90.8 | 91.2 |
| 2022 | 88.6 | 91.8 |
| 2023 | 92.0 | 90.7 |
| 2024 | 91.7 | 92.7 |
Goods
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 77.2 | 99.0 |
| 2009 | 84.6 | 97.9 |
| 2010 | 93.1 | 96.7 |
| 2011 | 93.4 | 95.9 |
| 2012 | 95.2 | 97.1 |
| 2013 | 94.7 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 95.9 | 98.7 |
| 2015 | 96.1 | 98.4 |
| 2016 | 94.6 | 97.6 |
| 2017 | 94.0 | 95.5 |
| 2018 | 97.4 | 97.8 |
| 2019 | 95.7 | 96.4 |
| 2020 | 94.0 | 94.2 |
| 2021 | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| 2022 | 93.1 | 92.0 |
| 2023 | 94.8 | 93.8 |
| 2024 | 94.3 | 93.8 |
Housing (rents)
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 76.0 | 71.7 |
| 2009 | 77.4 | 75.2 |
| 2010 | 69.7 | 78.7 |
| 2011 | 75.6 | 76.2 |
| 2012 | 67.0 | 78.8 |
| 2013 | 74.5 | 77.0 |
| 2014 | 74.6 | 60.7 |
| 2015 | 68.8 | 74.3 |
| 2016 | 71.8 | 71.3 |
| 2017 | 62.0 | 69.9 |
| 2018 | 71.4 | 68.9 |
| 2019 | 58.3 | 72.0 |
| 2020 | 73.7 | 63.7 |
| 2021 | 65.7 | 66.1 |
| 2022 | 56.0 | 74.9 |
| 2023 | 75.0 | 66.0 |
| 2024 | 68.5 | 71.5 |
Utilities
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 79.5 | 100.6 |
| 2009 | 81.5 | 102.1 |
| 2010 | 81.0 | 101.8 |
| 2011 | 79.4 | 102.3 |
| 2012 | 80.2 | 101.4 |
| 2013 | 82.4 | 100.1 |
| 2014 | 82.8 | 96.7 |
| 2015 | 83.8 | 93.7 |
| 2016 | 85.0 | 91.4 |
| 2017 | 86.6 | 94.6 |
| 2018 | 92.4 | 97.4 |
| 2019 | 90.8 | 93.1 |
| 2020 | 92.0 | 92.6 |
| 2021 | 92.7 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 88.5 | 90.0 |
| 2023 | 86.4 | 89.9 |
| 2024 | 86.4 | 90.0 |
Other services
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| 2009 | 94.2 | 99.4 |
| 2010 | 93.9 | 98.8 |
| 2011 | 91.4 | 96.6 |
| 2012 | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| 2013 | 92.5 | 98.1 |
| 2014 | 92.5 | 96.4 |
| 2015 | 88.9 | 94.9 |
| 2016 | 88.0 | 96.0 |
| 2017 | 87.5 | 95.1 |
| 2018 | 96.1 | 95.6 |
| 2019 | 98.4 | 98.3 |
| 2020 | 97.5 | 97.7 |
| 2021 | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 97.5 | 97.6 |
| 2023 | 97.3 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.1 | 99.4 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $960 in Wausau vs $1,202 in Michigan City
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $907 | $765 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $934 | $803 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $963 | $810 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $983 | $806 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $984 | $816 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,015 | $834 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,040 | $839 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,003 | $828 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,047 | $824 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,084 | $855 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,083 | $872 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,079 | $851 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,108 | $886 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,155 | $895 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,118 | $902 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,150 | $907 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,142 | $935 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,201 | $961 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,202 | $960 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $271,000 in Wausau vs $259,000 in Michigan City
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Michigan City, IN
- Wausau, WI
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Michigan City, IN | Wausau, WI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $124K | $130K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $126K | $132K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $129K | $134K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $129K | $135K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $129K | $136K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $129K | $137K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $129K | $139K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $131K | $141K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $131K | $143K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $133K | $144K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $135K | $145K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $138K | $147K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $139K | $149K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $142K | $152K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $145K | $155K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $147K | $156K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $150K | $159K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $152K | $163K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $155K | $166K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $156K | $170K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $158K | $170K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $160K | $172K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $164K | $178K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $172K | $181K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $179K | $182K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $188K | $188K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $192K | $193K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $195K | $194K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $203K | $199K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $212K | $206K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $215K | $204K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $216K | $205K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $217K | $212K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $222K | $220K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $227K | $225K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $226K | $225K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $229K | $227K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $235K | $234K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $237K | $236K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $240K | $241K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $244K | $246K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $245K | $248K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $248K | $249K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $250K | $257K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $253K | $267K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $255K | $269K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $259K | $271K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.